Means for throwing railway-switches.



No. 674,626. Y Patented May 2i, |901.

L... mms.4

I MEANS 'FOR THROWING RAILWAY SWITCHES.

(Application med occ. 27, 1900.)

(No Modell) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

l 6 666W (im. u WN |n.

Patented May 2|, |901.

l L) DAVIS. MEANS FOR THRWING RAILWAY SWITCHES.

(Application led Oct. 27, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Shees-Sheet 2.

,iwan/257* ed o.. wAsmNown u UNirnn 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI DAVIS, OF ALTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH F. PORTER, OF SAME PLACE.

MEANS FOR THROWING RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,626, dated May 21, 1901.

.Implication filed October 27, 1900. Serial. No. 34,550. (No model.)

o all whom/ t may concern.-

Be it known that l, LEVI DAVIS, a citizen 'of the United States, residing at Alton, in the county of Madison and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvemen ts in Means for Throwing Railway- Switches, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of taken on line III III, Fig. I.

this specification.

My invention relates to a means whereby the movable switch-points of street-railway tracks may be operated by the motorman or other person while upon the car.

My invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a top View of the throwing de- 1 vice with parts shown in horizontal section.

line II II, Fig. I, and partly in side elevation. Fig. III is an enlarged detail sectional View enlarged detail perspective View of one of the switch-throwing devices. View of the rear end of the swinging frame that carries the switch-throwing tongue, the View being taken in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. IV. Fig. VIis an enlarged detail View illustrating the switch-throwing tongue and the parts by which it is carried,

the frog being shown in cross-section. Fig. VII is a top View of the parts seen inFig. VI. Fig. VIII is an enlarged detail View ofthe central portion "of the rocking bar through which the switch-throwing tongue is manipulated. Fig. IX is a plan View of a section of railway track and frog of the construction used with my switch-throwing means. Fig. X is an enlarged perspective view of the railfrog., Fig XI is a cross-sectional view taken on line XI XI, Fig. X.

1 designa-tes the platform of a car beneath which my switch throwing means is suspended.

2 designates hangers in which the ends of a rocking beam 3 are journaled.

4 designates frames, each having arms 5 and 6. The frames 4 are pivoted to the rocking beam 3 by bolts or pins 7 and are permitted to swing sidewise to a limited extent, but

Fig. IV is anA Fig. V is a detail when at rest are held approximately at right angles to the beam 3 by springs 8, (see Fig. V,) the springs having two arms thatstraddle fingers 9, fixed to the frames 4. Whenever the frames 4 are swung sidewise in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter to be stated, the fingers 9 press against one of the arms of the springs 8, and as soon as the frame is released from sidewise pressure thesprings, `by pressing against the fingers 9, return the frames 4 to normal position. The frames 4 and the parts carried thereby are of similar construction, and the more complete description of such parts hereinafter given will be understood to apply equally to both. Oneis designed to throw switch-points at one side of the track and the other for switch-points atthe other side of the track.

10 designates a vertical shaft journaled in the outer ends of the arms 5 and 6 of each frame 4, and rigidly carried by the shaft 10 at its lower end is the switch-throwing tongue 11, that is adapted to partake of the movement imparted to said shaft, as will hereinafter appear. The shaft 10 is normally held in such a position that the tongue 1l is projected approximately in alinement with the lower arm 6 of the frame 4, the shaft being so held through the medium of a finger 12, applied to the shaft at its upper end and straddled by a two-arm spring 13, that. is secured to the frame 4. The spring 13 permits a limited rocking movement of the shaft 10 and tongue 11; but bearing against the finger 12 always returns the parts to their normal positions when at rest.

The rocking beam 3 is connected to the carplatform by springs 14, that normally main# tain the frames 4 and parts carried thereby elevated from the ground, as seen in Fig. II.

15 designates a swivel mounted in a bearing-bracket 16, carried by the rocking beam 3. This swivel is provided with a pair of apertured arms 17 and a finger 18. 4

19 designates connecting-rods seated at one end in the arms 17 of the swivel 15 and connected at their opposite ends to bell-cran ks 20, pivotally connected to hangers 21, suspended from the car-platform. The free ends of these bell-cranks receive the bearing of the inner ends of push-pins 22, (see Fig. II,) loosely IOO seated inthe car-platform, where they are in convenient position for the motorman or other operators foot, by which, upon the depression of the push-pins, the bell-cranks 20 are rocked to effect strain upon either of the connecting-rods 19 at will for the purpose of rocking the beam 3 and swiveling the swivel 15.

23 designates a rocking bar centrally pivoted at 24 to the rocking beam 3, (see Figs. II, III, and VIII.) The two arms of said rocking bar extend outwardly from the pivot 24 and are provided at their outer ends with forks 25. The rocking bar 23 is also provided with a central fork 26, located directly above the pivot 24, and which receives the finger 18, carried by the swivel 15.

27 designates a rocking lever centrally pivoted at 28 to the frame 4 and having an arm 29, loosely arranged in the fork 25of the rocking bar 23. The opposite end 30 of the rocking lever 27 is loosely seated in one arm of a two-arm cam 31, that is pivotally mounted in a slot contained by the shaft 10.

32 designates a rail-frog, and 33 a switchpoint pivoted to the frog in the usual manner. The rail 34 of the frog is provided with a notch 35,'and the guard-rail 36 is :provided with anotch 37, coincident withrthe notch 35. Located outside'of the rail 34 and guardrail 36 are guide-rails 38,-each provided with a bulge 39.

AIn practical use the parts are operated as follows: TNhen the car to be switched appreaches the switch-point 33, the operatorplaceshis foot upon'one of the push-pins 22, according to the posit-ion of the switch-point 33 to be thrown. The downward movement of the push-pin rocks the coincident bellcrank 20, and thereby effects a strain upon the connecting-rod 19, attached thereto. The movement of the 'connecting-rod is imparted to the swivel 15 through the connection to the arm 17 thereof. The swivel 15i's thereby moved in its bearing, and at the same time the rocking beam 3 is rocked in its bearings and carries the -frames 4therewith to carry the switch-throwing tongue 1l to the frog 32. In such movement of the'parts the throwingtongue 11, that is tomove the switch-'point to be operated, descends into a position between the rail 34 and guard-rail 36 of the frog 32. At the same time Vthat the parts named are actuated as described the turningof the swivel 15 causes the finger 18, carried by said swivel,

end of the cam 31 is thrown rearwardly and the shaft 10, on which the cam is mounted, is rocked in its bearings, causing the switchthrowing tongue to be thrown to one side into the notch 35 or 37 to enter behind the free end-of the switch-point 33 in the manner illustrated in Fig. VII. The throwing-tongue 11 thus 'passes to one side of the switch-point, and as it continues its travel through the frog it throws the switch-point to the opposite side of the channel between the rails 34 and 36, where it is in position to receive the car-wheels and cause the ear to be switched as desired. When theI switch-point has been thrown,the operator'releases the push-pin 22, and the parts are all returned to their normal positions by the springsapplied to them, as described.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a switch-throwing means, the Vcombination of a switch-point-engaging tongue, a laterally-swim ging frame'inwhich said tongue is Arockingly mounted, and means Afor rocking the tongue independently-of the movementof said frame to causeitto rengage the switchpoint, substantially as described.

2. In a switch-throwing"means,the Vcombination o'f aswitch-point-engaging tongue, a laterally-swinging frame wherebysaid tongue is carried, a 'rocking beam by which said frame is supported, means forro'cking said beam, and means Yfor rocking said tongue independently of the movementof lsaid beam and frame, substantially as described.

3, In aswitch-throwingmeans, the combination of a rocking shaft, means whereby said shaft is carried, a switch-point-engaging tongue carried by's'aid shaft, and a cam carried by-said shaft *adapted to engage a projection 'protruding'fro'm lthe railway-track to roel; said 'shaft and tongue, substantially as described.

4. In a vswitch-throwingmeans,th'e com bination of a 'rocking shaft, means whereby said shaftis'suppor'ted, aswitch-point-engaging tongue'carried-by'said shaft, va carncarried bysaid shafnsaid cam being adapted to engagea projection protruding from 'the'railway-ftrackfand "means for movingsaid cam to said projection, substantially as described.

5. In a 's'witchthrowing'meana the combination of Va rocking Ysha-ft, means whereby said 'shaft is supported,'a switch-point-engaging tongue carried by said shaft,"acam'mount ed in said 'shaft 'adapted to-eng'ageth'e railfrog, a'rocking lever 'connected to said cam, Vandme'ans for rocking fsaid lever to' throw said cam' into engagement with said projection, 'substantially as described.

6. In a switch-throwing means, the combination of a rocking beam, means forro'ckin'g said beam, aframesupportedbysaid beam, a rocking shaft mounted in said frame, va switch-'point-engagin g tongue carried by said rocking shaft, a spring arranged to yieldingly hold said shaft, a cam mounted in said shaft,

IOO

and means for rocking said cam to throw it into engagement with the rail-frog, substantially as described.

7. I'n a switch-throwing means, the combination of a rocking beam, a frame carried by said beam, a rockingly-supported switch-engaging tongue, a rocking shaft by which said tongue is carried, a cam mounted in said shaft, a rocking lever connected to said cam, a rocking bar having engagement with said lever, and means for rocking said bar to move said lever and cam, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a switch-throwing means, the combination of a rocking beam, a frame carried thereby, a switch-engaging tongue, a rocking shaft by which said tongue is carried, a cam mounted in said shaft, a lever having oonnection with said cam, a rocking bar having connection with said lever, a swivelcarried by said rocking beam, and provided with means for engaging said rocking bar, and

means for rocking said beam and swivel, sub` stantially as described.

9. In a switch-throwing means the combination of a switch-point-engaging tongue, means whereby said tongue is rockingly oarried, means for rocking said tongue to cause it to engage the switch-point, and a spring arranged to return said tongue to normal position after it has been rocked, substantially as described.

10. In a switch-throwing means, the combination of a switch-poiut-engaging tongue, a laterally-swinging frame in which said tongue is rockingly mounted, means for rocking said tongue to cause it to engage the switch-point, and a spring arranged to return said frame to normall position after it has been swung laterally, substantially as described.

LEVI DAVIS.

In presence of- E. S. KNIGHT, N. V. ALEXANDER. 

